Coupler lock operating means



0a. 1, 1940. H, WOLFE 2,216,507

COUPLER LOCK OPERATING MEAN S Filed March 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 1, 1940.

H. H. WOLFE COUPLER LOCK OPERATING MEANS Filed March 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 1, 1940 COUPLER LOCK OPERATING IWEANS 7 Harry E. Wolfe, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus,

Ohio

Application March 16, 1938, Serial No. 196,297

2 Claims. (Cl. 213-166) This invention relates to car couplers and more particularly to novel means to be used in operating the lock of such couplers;

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel operating rod arrangement for use in operating coupler locks in a rotary manner. Heretofore, the operating rod has been connected directly to the rotary operating lever of the standard E coupler or D coupler. Although such rods would operate their respective couplers in a more effective manner than the toplift or previously used underlift arrangements, they have certain disadvantages, namely:

1. Due to the rods being attached to the rotary levers eccentric tothe center line of the lever, there was some tendency for the levers to tip (due to the weight of the rod) and bind in the supporting lugs on the coupler. Further, the weight of the rods have a tendency to increase the wear on the operating parts.

2. Due to the rod being flexibly connected to the operating lever, the rod does not return to its normal position until the coupler is locked. Due to the slack in the connection between the rod and the lever it is difiicult to determine by inspection Whether the lock is in the fully locked position or not. When the lock has not dropped to its fully locked position there is danger of the couplers parting as the anticreep for the lock does not engage until the lock is fully dropped.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an operating arrangement which will eliminate such disadvantages.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the end of a railway car provided with a coupler which is partly in transverse vertical section, and showing one form of my improved lock operating means.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of a modification, partly in transverse vertical section; the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 but illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, I designates a-portion of an end of a-railway car from which projects a' coupler Shaving adepending conventional link 9 employed in lifting the conventional lock of the coupler. V 1 I 5 Ears ill depend from the head of the coupler, and in accordance with the present invention, they-support a horizontal shaft H which carries a rotary-lever l2 that "is connected at l3 to the link 9. w I

In accordance with my invention, a trunnion l4 projects from one of the ears 'ID and forms a fulcrum for an'eye 15 provided at one end of an operating rod [6. In this form of the invention, the rod has a substantially U-shaped portion or 5 yoke H which normally lies in a substantially vertical plane, and has its arm 18 merging into a portion IQ of the rod which extends transversely of the end of the car and is inclined upwardly and laterally from the arm to an elongated horizontal fulcrum portion 20 that is arranged parallel with the shaft II and trunnion Id.

The fulcrum portion 20 of the rod is rotatably and slidably mounted in a bearing or hookshaped bracket 2| and may be held in place by 5 i any suitable means such as a cotter pin 22. The bearing or bracket is secured to the end of the car.

The rod terminates at its end opposite that of the eye l5 in a handle 23 which is preferably arranged parallel to the yoke I1 and normally lies in a vertical plane.

To operate the coupler lock, the handle 23 is turned forwardly and upwardly with respect to the car and this causes the bottom bar 24 of the 35 yoke to engage a lug 25 on the rotary lever l2. This impartsa rotary movement to the lever, thus operating the coupler lock. When the handle 23 is released, the rod returns to normal position due to the weight of the handle and the yoke ll. As lever 12 is attached to the coupler look by the toggle or link 9, it will remain in up position until the lock of the coupler drops to its locked position. It can readily be determined whether the lock is in locked position by 45 observing the relation between the lug 25 and thebar 24.

Instead of using the construction shown at I4 and I5 in Fig. 1, I may use the alternative construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this embodiment one of the ears Illa is provided with a socket 26 having a horizontally disposed axis, and one end of the yoke Ila of the rod is bent at right angles to the arm Nb of the yoke, to form a pintle 21 which extends into the socket 55 to form a pivotal joint for the inner end of the operating rod.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the inner end portion of the operating rod is of L shape as shown at I10, and the horizontal extremity lid of the rod coacts with the rotary lock lifting lever I211 in a manner equivalent to the bar 24 of the yoke, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. I

The inner portion of the operating rod in this form of the invention is pivotally mounted in a bearing or hooked-shaped bracket 28 which depends from the coupler on the side nearest the bracket 21a. The rod may be held in place in the bracket 28 by any suitable means such as a cotter pin 29. It is believed the operation of this form of the invention will be obvious from the description of the operation of Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be noted in each form of the invention that the axis of the pivoting means which connects the inner end portion of the rod to the coupler is substantially coaxial with the turning axis of the rotary lever, and thatthe rotary lever is operated by a substantially L-shaped portion of the rod.

Many modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing therefrom or from' the scope of the claims, and since the foregoing disclosure has been given by way of examples for clearness and understanding, no unnecessary limitations should be understood and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the state of the art permits.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a car having a coupler provided with lock operating means including a rotary lever, of an operating rod for the lever rotatably mounted on an end of the car and provided with a portion arranged to engage and operate the lever when the rod is turned in one direction, the coupler being provided with a projecting trunnion arranged'substantially coaxially with the turning axis of the lever, and one end of the rod being provided with an eye which is pivotally connected to said trunnion.

2. Means for operating the rotary lever of the lock-actuating means of a car coupler,-comprising an operating rod rotatably mounted on the end of the car and having a substantially U-shape portion at one end thereof, the substantially U-shape portion including first and second arms and a connecting bar, the first arm being arranged at one side of the coupler and its end being pivotally connected to the coupler for turn ing movement about an axis arranged substantially coaxially with the turning axis of the rotary lever, said pivotal connection including a socket, and a trunnion extending into the socket, the second arm being located at the opposite side of the coupler and arranged in such close proximity thereto so as to prevent disengagement of the trunnion and socket, the connecting bar being positioned to engage the rotary lever.

HARRY H. WOLFE. 

